, also known as is a

Shingon is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asian Buddhism. It is a form of Japanese Esoteric Buddhism and is sometimes called "Tōmitsu" (東密 lit. "Esoteric uddhismof Tō- ...

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

temple in the Minami-ku ward of

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. Founded in 796, Tō-ji Temple was one of the only three Buddhist temples allowed in the city at the time it became the capital of Japan. As such it has a long history, housing treasures and documents from the early

Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kammu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means in Japanese. It is a ...

and the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...

, and with buildings in its complex covering the

Kamakura , officially , is a city of Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. It is located in the Kanto region on the island of Honshu. The city has an estimated population of 172,929 (1 September 2020) and a population density of 4,359 people per km2 over the tota ...

Muromachi The , also known as the , is a division of History of Japan, Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Ashikaga shogunate, Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate ( or ), which was officially establ ...

, Momoyama, and

Edo period The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...

s. Five of these buildings have been designated National Treasures in two different categories: the Lotus Flower Gate (''rengemon''), the Miei Hall (''mieidō''), the Golden Hall (''kondō'') and the five-storied Pagoda (''gojūnotō'') ( temple buildings) and the Kanchiin Guest Hall (''kanchiin kyakuden'') ( residences). Tō-ji was designated a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

in 1994, as part of the

Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto The UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) encompasses 17 locations in Japan within the city of Kyoto and its immediate vicinity. In 794, the Japanese imperial family moved the capital to Heian- ...

History

Tō-ji was founded in the early

. The temple dates from 796, two years after the capital moved to

Heian-kyō Heian-kyō was one of several former names for the city now known as Kyoto. It was the official capital of Japan for over one thousand years, from 794 to 1868 with an interruption in 1180. Emperor Kanmu established it as the capital in 794, mo ...

. Together with its partner Sai-ji, and the temple Shingon-in (located in the

Heian Palace The was the original imperial palace of (present-day Kyoto), then the capital of Japan. Both the palace and the city were constructed in the late 700s and were patterned on Ancient Chinese urban planning, Chinese models and designs. The palace ...

), it was one of only three Buddhist temples allowed in the capital at the time and is the only of the three to survive to the present. It once had a partner, Sai-ji (West Temple) and, together, they stood alongside the

Rashomon is a 1950 Japanese ''jidaigeki'' film directed by Akira Kurosawa from a screenplay he co-wrote with Shinobu Hashimoto. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyō, Masayuki Mori, and Takashi Shimura, it follows various people who describe how a ...

, the gate to the Heian capital. It was formerly known as which indicates that it previously functioned as a temple providing protection for the nation. Tō-ji is located in Minami-ku near the intersection of Ōmiya Street and Kujō Street, southwest of Kyōto Station. Tō-ji is often associated with Kōbō Daishi (

Kūkai , born posthumously called , was a Japanese Buddhist monk, calligrapher, and poet who founded the Vajrayana, esoteric Shingon Buddhism, Shingon school of Buddhism. He travelled to China, where he studied Tangmi (Chinese Vajrayana Buddhism) und ...

). Though Tō-ji began to decline at the end of the Heian period, it came back into the spotlight with the rise of Daishi Shinko (worshipping of Kōbō Daishi) in the Kamakura period. The well-known Buddhist priest was put in charge of Tō-ji in 823 by order of

Emperor Saga was the 52nd emperor of Japan, Emperor Saga, Saganoyamanoe Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Saga's reign lasted from 809 to 823. Traditional narrative Saga was the second son of ...

. The temple's principal image is of Yakushi Nyorai, the Medicine Buddha. Many religious services for Daishi are held in (or , in another name), the residence of Kōbō Daishi. In 1586, the temple was seriously damaged by an

earthquake An earthquakealso called a quake, tremor, or tembloris the shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those so weak they ...

Architecture

Five-storey Pagoda

The of Tō-ji dates from 1643 (

), when it was rebuilt by order of the third Tokugawa Shōgun, Iemitsu. The original pagoda was built in the 9th century, but it was destroyed and rebuilt four times before reaching its current state. It was designated a National Treasure in 1952. The pagoda stands high, and is the tallest

wood Wood is a structural tissue/material found as xylem in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulosic fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin t ...

en tower in Japan. Entrance into the pagoda itself is permitted only on special occasions, but it is usually open and the interior can be seen from the outside. It houses relics, sculptures, and paintings. At ground level, there are statues of four Buddhas facing different directions.

Kondo

The ''Kondo'' or Golden Hall is the main hall of the temple and contains a statue of Yakushi from 1603.

Miedo

The Miedo is dedicated to Kobo Daishi, also called Kukai, the temple's founder. It stands on the location of his original residence. The hall is opened on the 21st of each month when a memorial service is held for Kukai.

Temple grounds

The grounds feature a garden and pond, in which turtles and koi swim. The grounds also house an academically rigorous private school, Rakunan, from which many students are sent to elite universities.

Architectural Analysis

Tō-ji was rebuilt in the early

Edo Period The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...

, verging on the

Kamakura Period The is a period of History of Japan, Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the G ...

. During this rebuild, Tō-ji was dedicated to be a Shingon

Buddhist temple A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhism, Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat, khurul and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in B ...

(

, a form of

Vajrayana Buddhism ''Vajrayāna'' (; 'vajra vehicle'), also known as Mantrayāna ('mantra vehicle'), Guhyamantrayāna ('secret mantra vehicle'), Tantrayāna ('tantra vehicle'), Tantric Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism, is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition that emp ...

, was brought to

, a priest in 806). These temples were typically built in the mountains and utilized more natural and demographic design elements, dictating the resulting architectural layout. In the Kamakura period, Japanese architects began to utilize technology to resist damage from earthquakes, rainfall, sun, and heat damage. These fortifications were integrated into the remodeling of Tō-ji. This style of building defending against the natural elements evolved into the

Zenshūyō is a Japanese Buddhist architecture, Japanese Buddhist architectural style derived from Chinese Song Dynasty architecture. Named after the Zen, Zen sect of Buddhism in Japan, Buddhism which brought it to Japan, it emerged in the late 12th or ea ...

style, seen later on in the Kamakura period. This style utilizes the "hidden roof" innovation. Zenshūyō style temples, such as Tō-ji, are characterized by linear spacing outlines of the Garan, hinging panel doors, cusped windows called Katōmado, and decorative pent roofs called

Mokoshi In Japanese architecture , literally "skirt storey" or "cuff storey", is a decorative pent roof surrounding a building below the true roof. Since it does not correspond to any internal division, the ''mokoshi'' gives the impression of there bein ...

. Although containing many of the elements of Zenshūyō style architecture, the Tō-ji temple uses the natural land around it to dictate the layout of the garan, which is a technique used in the

Heian Period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kammu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means in Japanese. It is a ...

and Edo Period of

Japanese Architecture has been typified by wooden structures, elevated slightly off the ground, with tiled or thatched roofs. Sliding doors ('' fusuma'') and other traditional partitions were used in place of walls, allowing the internal configuration of a space ...

. This correlates with the Shingon attribution by

in 823. The decorative mokoshi and outfitting of modern structural technology (of the time), were most likely integrated during the remodeling of the tower in the Kamakura Period. Recognizing the historical and spiritual significance of Tō-ji,

designated it, along with several other treasures in

Kyoto Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Kyoto Prefecture has a population of 2,561,358 () and has a geographic area of . Kyoto Prefecture borders Fukui Prefecture to the northeast, Shiga Prefecture ...

, as part of the "

Flea market

On the 21st of each month, a famous

flea market A flea market (or swap meet) is a type of street market that provides space for vendors to sell previously owned (secondhand) goods. This type of market is often seasonal. However, in recent years there has been the development of 'formal' ...

is held on the grounds of Tō-ji. This market is popularly called Kōbō-san, in honor of Kōbō Daishi (

), who died on the 21 of the third Month of 835 AD (22 April in the Western Calendar). The flea market features a variety of antiques, art, clothes, pottery, some food, and typical second-hand flea market goods. By far the largest market is held on December 21, as it is the last of the year. A similar market is held on the 25th of every month at Kitano Tenmangū, also called Tenjin. A Kyoto proverb proclaims, "Fair weather at Tō-ji market means rainy weather at Tenjin market", calling to mind Kyoto's fickle weather. A smaller, less-crowded, antique-oriented market is held at the Tō-ji grounds on the first Sunday of each month.

Sai-ji

The

was formerly situated to the west of Tō-ji, though now only a marker remains, reachable a short walk west along Kujō street. A little further west was Sai-ji (West Temple), though now only a small park remains. Tō-ji and Sai-ji were built at the southern edge of the capital and were the only Buddhist temples officially allowed in Heian-kyō at the time. Sai-ji disappeared in the 16th century. The reason was bad irrigation of Ukyō-ku and the lack of funds to maintain it. A legend says that at the time of a great drought, Kūkai, the priest at Tō-ji, and Shubin, his colleague at Sai-ji, were both praying for rainfall. Kūkai succeeded where Shubin had failed, and Shubin, envious, shot an arrow at Kūkai. At that time a Jizō appeared and took the arrow instead of Kūkai, saving his life. The Jizō is near the ruins of Rashōmon. It has been chipped where the arrow is thought to have hit.

Events

In 1995, the temple was the stage of the

Yanni Yiannis Chryssomallis (; born November 14, 1954), known professionally as Yanni ( ), is a Greek composer, keyboardist, pianist, and music producer. Yanni continues to use the musical shorthand that he developed as a child, blending jazz, clas ...

World Tour, On July 7, 2007, one of the Live Earth concerts (held to raise awareness of the Earth's climate) was staged at Tō-ji; artists who played included

Bonnie Pink , known by her stage name Bonnie Pink, is a Japanese people, Japanese singer-songwriter and musician. She writes and composes all her songs, and plays guitar and piano. Asada has said that the name Bonnie Pink is random and has no special meanin ...

Michael Nyman Michael Laurence Nyman, Order of the British Empire, CBE (born 23 March 1944) is an English composer, pianist, libretto, librettist, musicologist, and filmmaker. He is known for numerous film soundtrack, scores (many written during his lengthy ...

Rip Slyme Rip Slyme (often stylized as RIP SLYME) is a Japanese hip hop group composed of four Master of ceremonies, MCs (Ryo-Z, Ilmari, Pes & Su) and a Disc jockey, DJ, Fumiya. Their sound is influenced by old-school hip hop and other Rapping, western rap ...

, UA and the

Yellow Magic Orchestra Yellow Magic Orchestra (abbreviated to YMO) was a Japanese electronic music band formed in Tokyo in 1978 by Haruomi Hosono (bass, keyboards, vocals), Yukihiro Takahashi (drums, lead vocals, occasional keyboards) and Ryuichi Sakamoto (keyboards, ...

Gallery

File:Kondo,_Toji_a087.jpg, Kondo File:Kyoto_Toji_Mieido_C0973.jpg, Miedo File:Kioto-Japon105.jpg, Yakushi File:Senju_Kannon,_Toji_a085.jpg, Senju Kannon File:Lecture Hall Toji Five Great Bosatsu.JPG, Dainiti and Amida File:Gozanze Myoo Toji Kodo.jpg, Gozanze Myoo File:Taishakuten Śakra, Tō-ji.jpg, Taishakuten File:Kongokai.jpg, Kongokai

Mandala A mandala (, ) is a geometric configuration of symbols. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed for focusing attention of practitioners and adepts, as a spiritual guidance tool, for establishing a sacred space and as an aid ...

File:Taizokai.jpg, Taizokai

File:Dai Itoku Myoo Yamantaka Toji.JPG, Dai Itoku Myoo File:Kyowogokokuji Monastery Tobatsu Bishamonten (280).jpg, Bishamonten File:Toji Temple, Kyoto, Japan 1.jpg File:Toji Temple, Kyoto, Japan 2.jpg

Notes

References

* Ponsonby-Fane, Richard Arthur Brabazon. (1956). ''Kyoto: The Old Capital of Japan, 794–1869''. Kyoto: The Ponsonby Memorial Society. {{DEFAULTSORT:To-Ji 8th-century establishments in Japan Buddhist temples in Kyoto Historic Sites of Japan Important Cultural Properties of Japan Pagodas in Japan Kūkai National Treasures of Japan Shingon Buddhism Tōji Shingon temples World Heritage Sites in Japan 796 establishments Religious buildings and structures completed in the 790s